Jay Beckenstein

Jay Beckenstein (born May 14, 1951 in Brooklyn, New York) is a saxophone player, smooth jazz artist and founder of Spyro Gyra. He also owned a studio in New York that was called BearTracks Studios.

He also played the saxophone solo on American progressive metal band Dream Theater's "Another Day", from the album "Images and Words" and single version of song "Through her Eyes", from the album '. He also played a solo part in "Take Away My Pain" on the live album "Once in a Livetime" as well as "Another Day" during the performance of '.

Biography

Jay's mother was an opera singer and his father's love of jazz introduced him to Charlie Parker and Lester Young when he was a baby. He started playing the piano at age 5 when he moved to Farmingdale, LI. He was given his first saxophone at the age of 7.

Discography

With Spyro Gyra

Beckenstein has played on all Spyro Gyra albums.

olo Efforts

Eye Contact (2000)

Instruments

Beckenstein plays alto, soprano and tenor saxophone. Prior to the late 1990s he played Yamaha 62 series saxophones. However, he later switched to instruments made by LA Sax. His current alto is the sax called the "Chicago Jazz" from LA Sax [http://www.lasaxophones.com/artists.htm] , fitted with a Beechler White Diamond S6S mouthpiece and Vandoren Traditional #3 Reeds. His soprano is a Keilwerth SX90 with a black-nickel finish and gold hardware fitted with a Selmer C* mouthpiece and Vandoren Traditional #3 reeds. His tenor is made by LA Sax.

External links

* http://www.jaybeckenstein.com/
* http://www.spyrogyra.com/